BitterSweet: Linked Through Slavery is a working group of writers and readers who are members of the Linked Descendants working group of Coming to the Table (CTTT). We bring a passionate commitment to looking deeply at the truth of the history of enslavement at the heart of the founding of the United States, facing the pains and schisms embedded in that history and its present day legacy, seeking reconciliation, if possible, and supporting action to open eyes and hearts, and to dismantle institutionalized racism.
We call ourselves “linked descendants” because we share a joint history in the institution of slavery and its post-Civil War oppression (sharecropping, convict leasing, peonage, lynching, terror, or other violence.) While the BitterSweet group consists of people who know about their personal and family historical connections to enslavement, as descendants of enslaved people or enslavers, we also welcome those who are in the process of looking for their family connection to slavery.
As enslaved or enslaver, our ancestors were bonded together through their participation in an economic system in which one side was subject to the complete control over the labor and family lives of the other, whether on small farms, large plantations, or in cities or towns. Sometimes this relationship included kinship due to the frequent sexual exploitation and rape of enslaved women. In our journeys of discovery, it is not surprising that we come across deeply disturbing evidence of experiences in slavery that trigger painful feelings on both sides. Acknowledging the damage done in the past can lead to a mutual new understanding and, for some, a new friendship or “cousin” relationship.
Some will ask, “why dig all this old stuff up?” We hope to answer that question by illustrating and emotionally touching our blog followers with the stories of our personal interactions and journeys toward healing and reconciliation. We hope to set an example for others who struggle with their connections to slavery and racism. We believe it is in knowing, not denying, the truth of the “historical harms” of white supremacy, enslavement and Jim Crow segregation that we can begin the process of healing, reconciliation, and needed social action.
The original bloggers were Prinny Anderson, Felicia Furman, Dave Hardesty, Dionne Ford Kurtti, Carol Maurer, Ardis Ligon, Grant Hayter-Menzies, Sharon Morgan, E. Ann Neel and Pam Smith. (See individual biographies beneath the Original Storytellers tab.) A next generation of writers is adding fresh insights and powerful stories. We welcome guest contributors. (See Write for BitterSweet.)
Read our stories and leave a comment. Please click on the “Follow” button to be notified of new posts. Find out about writing for the blog under the Write for BitterSweet tab and Contact Us to send a message or let us know you have a story for us.
OUR VALUES
BitterSweet bloggers:
- Value diverse opinions, stories and experiences
- Value respect and loving kindness towards difference
- Believe that uncovering and telling the truth of American history – in our case, the stories of how people have been and are linked through their heritage of slavery—represents a first step toward healing the harms of racism and the legacy of enslavement
- Support the idea of reparations on both the institutional, community and personal levels to begin to address these harms
- Process the myriad of feelings around enslavement and its ongoing legacy—from shame and guilt, to anger, to grief—to help us and our families come to terms with this legacy and begin to heal
- Seeking justice, expressing and experiencing mercy and compassion can help to lead us and those around us toward healing and repair
